Chicken Soup
Someone asked me for the recipe for my soup, which was very flattering! I thought I might as well post it here, but I’m sure I’ve posted something similar before.
Chicken Soup
I make no claims to be a great cook – in fact with three fussy eaters in the household, cooking is a source of great frustration to me!
However, I do love making soups like this, partly for the resourcefulness, not wasting the chicken carcass. The smell wafting through the house is another bonus and the end result is just medicine for my soul. You can vary this soup to your own taste, add what you like, and eliminate what you don’t. The following recipe is how I made it most recently.
Step one. Go to the markets and buy a free range chook. Shove a lemon up it’s bum and roast it. Serve with pan gravy and roasted vegetables.
Step two. The next morning, put the remains of the chicken, including the lemon, in a pot of water, along with two small onions and a head of garlic and a star anise. You don’t even need to get too fussy about peeling the onions, just make sure there is no dirt on them and chop them in half. Chop the head of garlic in half without peeling it. There are two adults and two children in my family, which leaves a nice amount of chicken on the bones. Allow to simmer for the morning, while you potter around doing other stuff.
Step three. Put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to allow the fat to solidify, then scoop it off. Strain the stock through a colander into a heavy based saucepan. While you are waiting for the stock to cool, you can start preparing the vegetables. I used carrot slices, diced zucchini and broccoli. I also added a few sprigs of coriander and a packet of two minute noodles. Once you’ve added them to the simmering stock, you can start picking the meat off the bones. I also squeeze the garlic back into the stock, it has a very mellow flavour at this stage.
Step four. Add the meat and allow the soup to simmer until the vegetables are just tender.
Notes. I didn’t add any salt or seasonings, it didn’t really need it and I’m trying to reduce my salt intake. Next time I make this; I’d use more noodles and make them udon noodles, I’d put two star anise in and perhaps even add a bit of chilli. You could strain the stock through a sieve or even cheesecloth if you prefer less floaty bits.
